1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to networks, and more specifically to public wireless access of networks.
2. Background Information
The per minute billing method used by existing wireless providers to bill users of Internet services has potential problems in the face of high bandwidth wireless interaction for future services. Generally, consumers will likely be unable to receive the service levels they desire at a reasonable and predictable cost using the per minute billing method. This leads to a situation where mobile device usage may be slow to achieve market penetration. Consumers are presently expected to pay for services and products over the wireless Internet. Due to the lowering cost and availability of Local Area Network (LAN), Wireless Local Area Network (802.11), and Bluetooth systems for wireless access, individual users will find it cost effective to install a wireless hub within their own homes. A LAN hub is relatively inexpensive, and achieves Internet connectivity as part of the same fee that users already pay for home Internet access via a modem, cable, Digital Subscriber Line (DSL), or other methods.
Local businesses, such as coffee shops, bars, or book stores, may similarly find it cost effective to install wireless hubs to draw customers. A modest fee to provide public wireless Internet access to customers would make the local business more attractive to customers by establishing the local business as a “hot spot”. Hot spots are businesses that provide wireless public access to the Internet for their customers. Franchised chains of small businesses would probably be the first to explore this opportunity, thus creating small networks of “micro-operators” covering a single location or small subset of customers. However, providing WLAN services directly by a micro-operator requires that the operator shoulder the entire burden of payment, with no immediate tangible benefit. Therefore, a need exists to provide public wireless Internet access to consumers without a cost to the local business/hot spot providing the Internet access.